Stretcher.



J. C. WILLlANlS.

STRETCHER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 1. I916.

Patented Oct. 17, 1916.

ATTORNEY JOHN G. WILLIAats, or WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA.

. STRETCHER.

morass.

Specification of Letters Patent...

Patented Oct. 17, 1916 Application filed April 1, 1916. Serial No.88,240.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN C. WILLIAMS,

- a citizen of the United States of America,

and resident of Wheeling, county of Ohio, and State of WVest Virginia,have invented certain new and useful Improvements n Stretchers, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to stretchers of that character employed forcarrying the bodies 'of persons, as when-,injured or dead; and

it has for its primary object to provide a stretcher having a bodycomposed of two similar fabric parts or sections wh ch are convenientlyseparable for permitt ng the person carried thereby to be depos1ted d1-rectly upon a table, bed, or the like without bodily lifting such personfrom the stretcher.

A further object is to provide a device of the character mentionedwherein the fabric sections are joined by means of a longitudinallywithdrawable strap and in wh ch no portion of said strap contacts eitherwith the body or clothing of a person restmg thereon, thus providing forthe removal of said strap without occasioning such person discomfort orannoyance.

A still further object is to provide. a stretcher having a centrallongitudinal hinge-like joint between the fabric sections and in whichthe latter are so formed that joint overlaps are provided whicheffectually prevent the separation of vsaid sections under the influenceof a weight imposed thereon to such an extent as will expose open orgaping slits.

With these and other important ob ects in view, the invention resides inthe features of construction, arrangement of parts and combinations ofelements which will hereinafter be fully described, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, inwhich- Figure 1 is a top plan view of the invention; Fig. 2 isanenlarged transverse section on the line 22, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is-alongitudinal sectional view, still further enlarged, said section beingtaken on line 3 3, Fig- 1; Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectlon on line 44,Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is anenlarged fragmentary view showing in top planthe connecting edges of the fabr c sect ons. I

Referring to said drawings, n which like designating charactersdistinguish hke parts as shown.

throughout the several views, 1 indicates two similar sections of aflexible fabric, as heavy canvas, each of which has its outer lateraledge turned back and stitched to its body to form a sleeve 2 designedfor the reception of a handle 3. The opposite lateral edge of eachsection is in like manner turned or'doubled back underneath the body andis stitched to the latter to form a permanent flat fold of suitablewidth, afterwhich a plurality of substantially rectangular pieces arecut from the outer edge of said fiat fold to form a series of alternateloops 4 and rectangular notches 5. The said notches are located atequidistant intervals, and have a length corresponding with that of theintervening loops; and the positions of the notches of one fabricsection register accurately with the loops of the other so that saidsections will interengage or articulate in the manner clearly shown inFig. 1. \Vhen the sections have been placed in interfitting relation, aflexible strap 6 of leather, rubber or other appropriate material, isthreaded lengthwise through the alternate loops of the two sections forconnecting the latter. -The depth of the notches is somewhatless thanthe width of the fold in which they are formed, so that separated flaps7 are left between the notch and the seam or stitching of said fold,said flaps being designed to overlie and underlie respectively the endsof the loops 4 of the opposite section received in said notches, thusclosing or concealing the slits or interstices formed between .the loopsof one section and the edge of the opposite section due to the tensionof a weight sustained by said sections. A suitable flap, as 8, is fixedto one of the fabric sections adjacent to each of its ends, the samehaving a spring clasp socket 9 upon its free end adapted for clampingengagement with a clasp button 10 fixed onthe opposite'section. Abinding tape 11 is preferably sewed along the inner edge of each fabricsection,

Clasp buttons 12 are fixed to the sleeves 2 at suitable points, the samebeing designed to be received by clasp sockets 13 attached to the outeredge portions of sheets 14 of Waterproof fabric 14 which are adapted toloosely overlie the fabric sections 1. Said sheets 14 which may or maynot be used, as desired, are designed to have their inner edges disposedin overlapped relation for preventing the fabric sections 1 frombecoming soiled or stained by blood.

For bracing the stretcher body against undue sagging while beingcarried, and also for supporting said body and handles when set down,brace-like metal spreaders or supports 15 are removably mounted on theprojecting portions of the handles at points adjacent to the ends of thelatter, handleembraeing rings or sleeves 16 being provided upon theupright terminals of said supports, as shown. As is obvious, the saidsupports may be mounted in reversed positions-that is, upside downwhenit is necessary to pass a loaded stretcher through openings of limiteddepth.

As is apparent, the fabric sections may be conveniently disconnected andthe handles withdrawn from the sleeves thereof, whereupon said sectionsbecome as readily washable as an ordinary heavy towel. Thus, the deviceis ofsuch haracter'that it may be easily kept in a perfectly sanitarycondition.

What is claimed is- A stretcher comprising two similar fabric sectionseach of which has its inner lateral edge doubled back and attached tothe body thereof to form a permanent longitudinal fold, said fold beingdentated by the provision of notches therein, said notches being of lessdepth than said fold so that a pair of separated outwardly extendinflaps are left between each notch and the adjacent fold connection, thedentated margins of the sections being disposed in articulated relation,with the ends of the loops formed between the notches of each sectionreceived between the flaps of the opposite section, and a flexibleconnecting member removably threaded through the alternating marginalloops of said sections.

In testimon whereof, Iaflix my signature in presence 0 two? subscribingwitnesses.

JOHN C. WILLIAMS.

